1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bundling or tie straps of the character disclosed in Pat. No. 3,022,667, issued to M. C. Logan, and more particularly relates to a securing means for shielding the strap/self-clinching improvement from external access which may lead to unauthorized release of the bundled item(s).
2. Prior Art
Plastic bundling straps adapted to be looped about a plurality of elements or a pouch opening and drawn taut thereon in self-clinching relation are well-known.
Bundling or tie straps of this nature are comprised of an elongated flexible strap adapted to be wrapped around a plurality of items to be bundled or about a pouch to be sealed (i.e.: cloth bank or money-carrying bag), pulled taut and held taut by a relatively rigid tongue means disposed within the head-end of the strap. The head-end has a through-aperture therein adapted to receive the opposite or tail-end of said strap, said head-end further housing said tongue means adapted to coact with the tail end of said strap so as to retain the strap against movement thereof.
An example of a tie strap or bundling strap of this nature is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,186,047 to Schwester, et al. However, the apertured head end portion having the self-clinching tongue means is exposed to tampering. Tampering may be accomplished by removing the tongue means from clinching engagement with the strap body using a thin, sharp implement, and slipping the strap out of the aperture in the head-end. This would allow the bundled items to be unbundled or the closed pouch to be opened and access gained to the interior thereof. Thereafter the items may be rebundled or pouch reclosed using the same strap without there being evidence of tampering.
A principal object of the invention is to provide a tamper-proof self clinching bundling strap.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tamper-proof self-clinching bundling strap wherein the body portion thereof is adapted to be locked against reverse movement throughout its length, when looped upon itself and drawn through the apertured head-end portion of the strap, head-end portion being associated with security cap means which is designed to fracture when tampered with.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a novel security cap means for use in connection with a bundling strap, said security cap means serving to deter or preclude tampering with the bundled item.